Larry McLearn and Deanna Bangert, both raised in the Montrose area, launched a Halloween tradition that would endure for decades. After their marriage, they spent several years away from Montrose, building their careers. During that time, they began making homemade donuts for Halloween—a tradition that would later return with them when they moved back to Montrose.
The process was simple but memorable: the McLearns would take refrigerated biscuits, punch a hole in the center, and microwave them briefly to puff them up. Next, they’d fry the dough in an electric skillet of hot oil, then coat the donuts in sugar by shaking them in a plastic bag. These homemade treats were handed out in massive quantities to a steady stream of trick-or-treaters, numbering in the hundreds each Halloween.
For many Montrose residents, the Halloween donut line became a cherished memory. “This makes me so happy! Those donuts are my best Halloween memory,” one former trick-or-treater commented on a recent Facebook post featuring photos of the McLearn’s donut-making days.
The tradition began in the early 1960s and continued until around 2000. Over those 40 years, Deanna earned the affectionate nickname “The Donut Lady,” while Larry was known as “Mr. Donut” by the community.
After the McLearns moved from their home, the donut-making scaled back, primarily serving their grandchildren. However, the tradition lives on today. Their daughter, Nadine, and her husband, Lane Weirather, now carry on the donut-making duties, and this year, great-grandchildren joined the Halloween donut line. The sweet tradition has now spanned multiple generations, delighting young and old alike each Halloween.
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